Pensacola City Council on Aug. 14 approved a Tree Planting Trust Fund grant of up to $5,500 to Canopy Restoration Inc. to support neighborhood tree plantings. Council Member Breyer sponsored the item; Breyer and other council members said the group's volunteer-driven model achieves a higher number of plantings at lower cost than city-contracted plantings.

Breyer told council the nonprofit will install roughly 90 trees with a reported high survival rate and that a city planting estimate for 33 trees had been previously quoted at roughly $69,300, figures the sponsor used to illustrate cost-efficiency. Adam (last name not stated in the record), a representative of Canopy Restoration Inc., attended to answer questions.

Council Member John Baer and others expressed support. The council adopted the grant 6-0.

The city's environmental advisory board had recommended the award consistent with city code; the grant will be administered under the city's tree-planting trust fund rules. The nonprofit will coordinate plantings and maintenance agreements with property owners and the city will monitor compliance with the trust fund program.

The council asked staff to proceed with grant execution and to monitor planting success rates and compliance with watering and maintenance commitments.